The LORD Tests Hearts
1Better is aa dry morsel with quietness,
Than a house full of 1feasting with strife.
2A wise servant will rule over ba son who causes shame,
And will share an inheritance among the brothers.
3The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
c But the LORD tests the hearts.
4An evildoer gives heed to false lips;
A liar listens eagerly to a 2spiteful tongue.
5d He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker;
e He who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
6f Children’s children are the crown of old men,
And the glory of children is their father.
7Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool,
Much less lying lips to a prince.
8A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor;
Wherever he turns, he prospers.
9g He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But hhe who repeats a matter separates friends.
10i Rebuke is more effective for a wise man
Than a hundred blows on a fool.
11An evil man seeks only rebellion;
Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him.
12Let a man meet ja bear robbed of her cubs,
Rather than a fool in his folly.
13Whoever krewards evil for good,
Evil will not depart from his house.
14The beginning of strife is like releasing water;
Therefore lstop contention before a quarrel starts.
15m He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just,
Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD.
16Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?
17n A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity.
18o A man devoid of 3understanding 4shakes hands in a pledge,
And becomes 5surety for his friend.
19He who loves transgression loves strife,
And phe who exalts his gate seeks destruction.
20He who has a 6deceitful heart finds no good,
And he who has qa perverse tongue falls into evil.
21He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow,
And the father of a fool has no joy.
22A rmerry heart 7does good, like medicine,
But a broken spirit dries the bones.
23A wicked man accepts a bribe 8behind the back
To pervert the ways of justice.
24s Wisdom is in the sight of him who has understanding,
But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.
25A tfoolish son is a grief to his father,
And bitterness to her who bore him.
26Also, to punish the righteous is not good,
Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.
27u He who has knowledge spares his words,
And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.
28v Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace;
When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.
The Name of the LORD Is a Strong Tower
1A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire;
He rages against all 1wise judgment.
2A fool has no delight in understanding,
But in expressing his aown heart.
3When the wicked comes, contempt comes also;
And with dishonor comes reproach.
4b The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters;
c The wellspring of wisdom is a flowing brook.
5It is not good to show partiality to the wicked,
Or to overthrow the righteous in djudgment.
6A fool’s lips enter into contention,
And his mouth calls for blows.
7e A fool’s mouth is his destruction,
And his lips are the snare of his fsoul.
8g The words of a 2talebearer are like 3tasty trifles,
And they go down into the 4inmost body.
9He who is slothful in his work
Is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.
10The name of the LORD is a strong htower;
The righteous run to it and are 5safe.
11The rich man’s wealth is his strong city,
And like a high wall in his own esteem.
12i Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty,
And before honor is humility.
13He who answers a matter before he hears it,
It is folly and shame to him.
14The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness,
But who can bear a broken spirit?
15The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge,
And the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
16j A man’s gift makes room for him,
And brings him before great men.
17The first one to plead his cause seems right,
Until his neighbor comes and examines him.
18Casting klots causes contentions to cease,
And keeps the mighty apart.
19A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city,
And contentions are like the bars of a castle.
20l A man’s stomach shall be satisfied from the fruit of his mouth;
From the produce of his lips he shall be filled.
21m Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.
22n He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
And obtains favor from the LORD.
23The poor man uses entreaties,
But the rich answers oroughly.
24A man who has friends 6must himself be friendly,
p But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
The Fear of the LORD Leads to Life
1Better ais the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
2Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.
3The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.
But the poor is separated from his friend.
5A cfalse witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies will not escape.
6Many entreat the favor of the nobility,
And every man is a friend to one who gives gifts.
7d All the brothers of the poor hate him;
How much more do his friends go efar from him!
He may pursue them with words, yet they 1abandon him.
8He who gets 2wisdom loves his own soul;
He who keeps understanding fwill find good.
9A false witness will not go unpunished,
And he who speaks lies shall perish.
10Luxury is not fitting for a fool,
Much less gfor a servant to rule over princes.
11h The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
i And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
12j The king’s wrath is like the roaring of a lion,
But his favor is klike dew on the grass.
13l A foolish son is the ruin of his father,
m And the contentions of a wife are a continual 3dripping.
14n Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers,
But oa prudent wife is from the LORD.
15p Laziness casts one into a deep sleep,
And an idle person will qsuffer hunger.
16r He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul,
But he who 4is careless of his ways will die.
17s He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.
18t Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart 5on his destruction.
19A man of great wrath will suffer punishment;
For if you rescue him, you will have to do it again.
20Listen to counsel and receive instruction,
That you may be wise uin your latter days.
21There are many plans in a man’s heart,
v Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand.
22What is desired in a man is 6kindness,
And a poor man is better than a liar.
23w The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil.
24x A lazy man buries his hand in the 7bowl,
And will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
25Strike a scoffer, and the simple ywill become wary;
z Rebuke one who has understanding, and he will discern knowledge.
26He who mistreats his father and chases away his mother
Is aa son who causes shame and brings reproach.
27Cease listening to instruction, my son,
And you will stray from the words of knowledge.
28A 8disreputable witness scorns justice,
And bthe mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.
29Judgments are prepared for scoffers,
c And beatings for the backs of fools.
Wine Is a Mocker
Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
2The 1wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion;
Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.
3b It is honorable for a man to stop striving,
Since any fool can start a quarrel.
4c The lazy man will not plow because of winter;
d He will beg during harvest and have nothing.
5Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water,
But a man of understanding will draw it out.
6Most men will proclaim each his own 2goodness,
But who can find a faithful man?
7e The righteous man walks in his integrity;
f His children are blessed after him.
8A king who sits on the throne of judgment
Scatters all evil with his eyes.
9g Who can say, “I have made my heart clean,
I am pure from my sin”?
10h Diverse weights and diverse measures,
They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD.
11Even a child is iknown by his deeds,
Whether what he does is pure and right.
12j The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made them both.
13k Do not love sleep, lest you come to poverty;
Open your eyes, and you will be satisfied with bread.
14“ It is 3good for nothing,” cries the buyer;
But when he has gone his way, then he boasts.
15There is gold and a multitude of rubies,
But lthe lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
16m Take the garment of one who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it as a pledge when it is for a seductress.
17n Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man,
But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.
18o Plans are established by counsel;
p By wise counsel wage war.
19q He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one rwho flatters with his lips.
20s Whoever curses his father or his mother,
t His lamp will be put out in deep darkness.
21u An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning
v Will not be blessed at the end.
22w Do not say, “I will 4recompense evil”;
x Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.
23Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And dishonest scales are not good.
24A man’s steps are of the LORD;
How then can a man understand his own way?
25It is a snare for a man to devote rashly something as holy,
And afterward to reconsider his vows.
26y A wise king sifts out the wicked,
And brings the threshing wheel over them.
27z The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD,
Searching all the 5inner depths of his heart.
28a Mercy and truth preserve the king,
And by 6lovingkindness he upholds his throne.
29The glory of young men is their strength,
And bthe splendor of old men is their gray head.
30Blows that hurt cleanse away evil,
As do stripes the 7inner depths of the heart.
The LORD Considers the Heart
1The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD,
Like the 1rivers of water;
He turns it wherever He wishes.
2a Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
b But the LORD weighs the hearts.
3c To do righteousness and justice
Is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4d A haughty look, a proud heart,
And the 2plowing of the wicked are sin.
5e The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty,
But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.
6f Getting treasures by a lying tongue
3 Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.
7The violence of the wicked will 4destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.
8The way of 5a guilty man is perverse;
But as for the pure, his work is right.
9Better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with ga contentious woman.
10h The soul of the wicked desires evil;
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
11When the scoffer is punished, the simple is made wise;
But when the iwise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
12The righteous God wisely considers the house of the wicked,
Overthrowing the wicked for their wickedness.
13j Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor
Will also cry himself and not be heard.
14A gift in secret pacifies anger,
And a bribe 6behind the back, strong wrath.
15It is a joy for the just to do justice,
But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
16A man who wanders from the way of understanding
Will rest in the assembly of the kdead.
17He who loves pleasure will be a poor man;
He who loves wine and oil will not be rich.
18The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous,
And the unfaithful for the upright.
19Better to dwell 7in the wilderness,
Than with a contentious and angry woman.
20l There is desirable treasure,
And oil in the dwelling of the wise,
But a foolish man squanders it.
21m He who follows righteousness and mercy
Finds life, righteousness and honor.
22A nwise man 8scales the city of the mighty,
And brings down the trusted stronghold.
23o Whoever guards his mouth and tongue
Keeps his soul from troubles.
24A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name;
He acts with arrogant pride.
25The pdesire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26He covets greedily all day long,
But the righteous qgives and does not spare.
27r The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;
How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!
28A false witness shall perish,
But the man who hears him will speak endlessly.
29A wicked man hardens his face,
But as for the upright, he 9establishes his way.
30s There is no wisdom or understanding
Or counsel against the LORD.
31The horse is prepared for the day of battle,
But tdeliverance is of the LORD.
The Value of a Good Name
1A agood name is to be chosen rather than great riches,
Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
2The brich and the poor have this in common,
The cLORD is the maker of them all.
3A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself,
But the simple pass on and are dpunished.
4By humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches and honor and life.
5Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;
He who guards his soul will be far from them.
6e Train up a child in the way he should go,
1 And when he is old he will not depart from it.
7The frich rules over the poor,
And the borrower is servant to the lender.
8He who sows iniquity will reap gsorrow,2
And the rod of his anger will fail.
9h He who has a 3generous eye will be iblessed,
For he gives of his bread to the poor.
10j Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11k He who loves purity of heart
And has grace on his lips,
The king will be his friend.
12The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge,
But He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13l The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”
14m The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit;
n He who is abhorred by the LORD will fall there.
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child;
o The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
16He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches,
And he who gives to the rich, will surely come to poverty.
Sayings of the Wise
17Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise,
And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18For it is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you;
Let them all be fixed upon your lips,
19So that your trust may be in the LORD;
I have instructed you today, even you.
20Have I not written to you excellent things
Of counsels and knowledge,
21p That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,
q That you may answer words of truth
To those who 4send to you?
22Do not rob the rpoor because he is poor,
Nor oppress the afflicted at the gate;
23s For the LORD will plead their cause,
And plunder the soul of those who plunder them.
24Make no friendship with an angry man,
And with a tfurious man do not go,
25Lest you learn his ways
And set a snare for your soul.
26u Do not be one of those who 5shakes hands in a pledge,
One of those who is 6surety for debts;
27If you have nothing with which to pay,
Why should he take away your bed from under you?
28v Do not remove the ancient 7landmark
Which your fathers have set.
29Do you see a man who 8excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before 9unknown men.
Listen to Your Father
1When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
Consider carefully what is before you;
2And put a knife to your throat
If you are a man given to appetite.
3Do not desire his delicacies,
For they are deceptive food.
4a Do not overwork to be rich;
b Because of your own understanding, cease!
51 Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
6Do not eat the bread of ca2 miser,
Nor desire his delicacies;
7For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
“Eat and drink!” dhe says to you,
But his heart is not with you.
8The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
And waste your pleasant words.
9e Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10Do not remove the ancient 3landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
11f For their Redeemer is mighty;
He will plead their cause against you.
12Apply your heart to instruction,
And your ears to words of knowledge.
13g Do not withhold correction from a child,
For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
14You shall beat him with a rod,
And deliver his soul from 4hell.
15My son, if your heart is wise,
My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
16Yes, my 5inmost being will rejoice
When your lips speak right things.
17h Do not let your heart envy sinners,
But ibe zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;
18j For surely there is a 6hereafter,
And your hope will not be cut off.
19Hear, my son, and be wise;
And guide your heart in the way.
20k Do not mix with winebibbers,
Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
21For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
22l Listen to your father who begot you,
And do not despise your mother when she is old.
23m Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
24n The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
25Let your father and your mother be glad,
And let her who bore you rejoice.
26My son, give me your heart,
And let your eyes observe my ways.
27o For a harlot is a deep pit,
And a seductress is a narrow well.
28p She also lies in wait as for a victim,
And increases the unfaithful among men.
Who has sorrow?
Who has contentions?
Who has complaints?
Who has wounds without cause?
Who rhas redness of eyes?
30s Those who linger long at the wine,
Those who go in search of tmixed wine.
31Do not look on the wine when it is red,
When it sparkles in the cup,
When it 7swirls around smoothly;
32At the last it bites like a serpent,
And stings like a viper.
33Your eyes will see strange things,
And your heart will utter perverse things.
34Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the 8midst of the sea,
Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
35“Theyu have struck me, but I was not hurt;
They have beaten me, but I did not feel it.
When shall vI awake, that I may seek another drink?”
Do Not Envy Evil Men
1Do not be aenvious of evil men,
Nor desire to be with them;
2For their heart devises violence,
And their lips talk of troublemaking.
3Through wisdom a house is built,
And by understanding it is established;
4By knowledge the rooms are filled
With all precious and pleasant riches.
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
6c For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
7d Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
He does not open his mouth in the gate.
8He who eplots to do evil
Will be called a 1schemer.
9The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
10If you ffaint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.
11g Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
12If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
Does not hHe who weighs the hearts consider it?
He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
And will He not render to each man iaccording to his deeds?
13My son, jeat honey because it is good,
And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
14k So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
If you have found it, there is a 2prospect,
And your hope will not be cut off.
15Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
Do not plunder his resting place;
16l For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again,
m But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
17n Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
18Lest the LORD see it, and 3it displease Him,
And He turn away His wrath from him.
19o Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the wicked;
20For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
21My son, pfear the LORD and the king;
Do not associate with those given to change;
22For their calamity will rise suddenly,
And who knows the ruin those two can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise
23These things also belong to the wise:
q It is not good to 4show partiality in judgment.
24r He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
Him the people will curse;
Nations will abhor him.
25But those who rebuke the wicked will have sdelight,
And a good blessing will come upon them.
26He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
27t Prepare your outside work,
Make it fit for yourself in the field;
And afterward build your house.
28u Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
5 For would you deceive with your lips?
29v Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
I will render to the man according to his work.”
30I went by the field of the lazy man,
And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
31And there it was, wall overgrown with thorns;
Its surface was covered with nettles;
Its stone wall was broken down.
32When I saw it, I considered it well;
I looked on it and received instruction:
33x A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest;
34y So shall your poverty come like 6a prowler,
And your need like 7an armed man.
Further Wise Sayings of Solomon
1Thesea also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
2b It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
3As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
4c Take away the dross from silver,
And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
5Take away the wicked from before the king,
And his throne will be established in drighteousness.
6Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
And do not stand in the place of the great;
7e For it is better that he say to you,
“Come up here,”
Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
Whom your eyes have seen.
8f Do not go hastily to 1court;
For what will you do in the end,
When your neighbor has put you to shame?
9g Debate your case with your neighbor,
And do not disclose the secret to another;
10Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
And 2your reputation be ruined.
11A word fitly hspoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.
12Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
13i Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14j Whoever falsely boasts of giving
Is like kclouds and wind without rain.
15l By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
16Have you found honey?
Eat only as much as you need,
Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
17Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
18m A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
19Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
20Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
And like vinegar on soda,
Is one who nsings songs to a heavy heart.
21o If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
22For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
p And the LORD will reward you.
23The north wind brings forth rain,
And qa backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
24r It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
25As cold water to a weary soul,
So is sgood news from a far country.
26A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a 3polluted well.
27It is not good to eat much honey;
So tto seek one’s own glory is not glory.
28u Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
Is like a city broken down, without walls.
Honor Is Not Fitting for a Fool
1As snow in summer aand rain in harvest,
So honor is not fitting for a fool.
2Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
So ba curse without cause shall not alight.
3c A whip for the horse,
A bridle for the donkey,
And a rod for the fool’s back.
4Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest you also be like him.
5d Answer a fool according to his folly,
Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
6He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8Like one who binds a stone in a sling
Is he who gives honor to a fool.
9Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
101 The great God who formed everything
Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.
11e As a dog returns to his own vomit,
f So a fool repeats his folly.
12g Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
A fierce lion is in the 2streets!”
14As a door turns on its hinges,
So does the lazy man on his bed.
15The hlazy man buries his hand in the 3bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
17He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
18Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
19Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
And says, i“I was only joking!”
20Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
And where there is no 4talebearer, strife ceases.
21j As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
22The words of a 5talebearer are like 6tasty trifles,
And they go down into the 7inmost body.
23Fervent lips with a wicked heart
Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
24He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
And lays up deceit within himself;
25k When 8he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart;
26Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
27l Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
28A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
And a flattering mouth works mruin.
My Son, Be Wise
1Doa not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2b Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
A stranger, and not your own lips.
3A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
4Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
But cwho is able to stand before jealousy?
Than love carefully concealed.
6Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But the kisses of an enemy are edeceitful.
7A satisfied soul 1loathes the honeycomb,
But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
8Like a bird that wanders from its nest
Is a man who wanders from his place.
9Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by 2hearty counsel.
10Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
f Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
g That I may answer him who reproaches me.
12A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
The simple pass on and are hpunished.
13Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
14He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
It will be counted a curse to him.
15A icontinual dripping on a very rainy day
And a contentious woman are alike;
16Whoever 3restrains her restrains the wind,
And grasps oil with his right hand.
17As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
18j Whoever 4keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
So he who waits on his master will be honored.
19As in water face reflects face,
So a man’s heart reveals the man.
20k Hell5 and 6Destruction are never full;
So lthe eyes of man are never satisfied.
21m The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
And a man is valued by what others say of him.
22n Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
23Be diligent to know the state of your oflocks,
And attend to your herds;
24For riches are not forever,
Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
25p When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
26The lambs will provide your clothing,
And the goats the price of a field;
27You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
For the food of your household,
And the nourishment of your maidservants.
The Righteous Are Bold as a Lion
1The awicked flee when no one pursues,
But the righteous are bold as a lion.
2Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
But by a man of understanding and knowledge
Right will be prolonged.
3b A poor man who oppresses the poor
Is like a driving rain 1which leaves no food.
4c Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
d But such as keep the law contend with them.
5e Evil men do not understand justice,
But fthose who seek the LORD understand all.
6Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
7Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
8One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
9One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
g Even his prayer is an abomination.
10h Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
He himself will fall into his own pit;
i But the blameless will inherit good.
11The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
12When the righteous rejoice, there is great jglory;
But when the wicked arise, men 2hide themselves.
13k He who covers his sins will not prosper,
But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
14Happy is the man who is always reverent,
But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
15l Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
m Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
16A ruler who lacks understanding is a great noppressor,
But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
17o A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
Let no one help him.
18Whoever walks blamelessly will be 3saved,
But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
19p He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
20A faithful man will abound with blessings,
q But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
21r To 4show partiality is not good,
s Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
22A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
And does not consider that tpoverty will come upon him.
23u He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
Than he who flatters with the tongue.
24Whoever robs his father or his mother,
And says, “It is no transgression,”
The same vis companion to a destroyer.
25w He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
x But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
26He who ytrusts in his own heart is a fool,
But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
27z He who gives to the poor will not lack,
But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
28When the wicked arise, amen hide themselves;
But when they perish, the righteous increase.
Happy Is He Who Keeps the Law
1Hea who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
2When the righteous 1are in authority, the bpeople rejoice;
But when a wicked man rules, cthe people groan.
3Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4The king establishes the land by justice,
But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
5A man who dflatters his neighbor
Spreads a net for his feet.
6By transgression an evil man is snared,
But the righteous sings and rejoices.
7The righteous econsiders the cause of the poor,
But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
But wise men turn away wrath.
9If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
g Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
10h The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
But the upright seek his 2well-being.
11A fool vents all his ifeelings,3
But a wise man holds them back.
12If a ruler pays attention to lies,
All his servants become wicked.
13The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
j The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
14The king who judges the kpoor with truth,
His throne will be established forever.
15The rod and rebuke give lwisdom,
But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
16When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
But the righteous will see their mfall.
17Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
18n Where there is no 4revelation, the people cast off restraint;
But ohappy is he who keeps the law.
19A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
For though he understands, he will not respond.
20Do you see a man hasty in his words?
p There is more hope for a fool than for him.
21He who pampers his servant from childhood
Will have him as a son in the end.
22q An angry man stirs up strife,
And a furious man abounds in transgression.
23r A man’s pride will bring him low,
But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
24Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
s He 5swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.
25t The fear of man brings a snare,
But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be 6safe.
26u Many seek the ruler’s 7favor,
But justice for man comes from the LORD.
27An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.
The Wisdom of Agur
1The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:
2a Surely I am more stupid than any man,
And do not have the understanding of a man.
3I neither learned wisdom
Nor have bknowledge of the Holy One.
4c Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
d Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?
5e Every word of God is 1pure;
f He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
7Two things I request of You
(Deprive me not before I die):
8Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
Give me neither poverty nor riches—
h Feed me with the food allotted to me;
9i Lest I be full and deny You,
And say, “Who is the LORD?”
Or lest I be poor and steal,
And profane the name of my God.
10Do not malign a servant to his master,
Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
11There is a generation that curses its jfather,
And does not bless its mother.
12There is a generation kthat is pure in its own eyes,
Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
13There is a generation—oh, how llofty are their eyes!
And their eyelids are 2lifted up.
14m There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
And whose fangs are like knives,
n To devour the poor from off the earth,
And the needy from among men.
15The leech has two daughters—
Give and Give!
There are three things that are never satisfied,
Four never say, “Enough!”:
The barren womb,
The earth that is not satisfied with water—
And the fire never says, “Enough!”
17p The eye that mocks his father,
And scorns obedience to his mother,
The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
And the young eagles will eat it.
18There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
Yes, four which I do not understand:
19The way of an eagle in the air,
The way of a serpent on a rock,
The way of a ship in the 4midst of the sea,
And the way of a man with a virgin.
20This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth,
And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
21For three things the earth is perturbed,
Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
22q For a servant when he reigns,
A fool when he is filled with food,
23A 5hateful woman when she is married,
And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
24There are four things which are little on the earth,
But they are exceedingly wise:
25r The ants are a people not strong,
Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26s The 6rock badgers are a feeble folk,
Yet they make their homes in the crags;
27The locusts have no king,
Yet they all advance in ranks;
28The 7spider skillfully grasps with its hands,
And it is in kings’ palaces.
29There are three things which are majestic in pace,
Yes, four which are stately in walk:
30A lion, which is mighty among beasts
And does not turn away from any;
A male goat also,
And 9a king whose troops are with him.
32If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
Or if you have devised evil, tput your hand on your mouth.
33For as the churning of milk produces butter,
And wringing the nose produces blood,
So the forcing of wrath produces strife.
The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother
1The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
2What, my son?
And what, son of my womb?
And what, ason of my vows?
3b Do not give your strength to women,
Nor your ways cto that which destroys kings.
4d It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
It is not for kings to drink wine,
Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
5e Lest they drink and forget the law,
And pervert the justice of all 1the afflicted.
6f Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
7Let him drink and forget his poverty,
And remember his misery no more.
8g Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are 2appointed to die.
9Open your mouth, hjudge righteously,
And iplead the cause of the poor and needy.
The Virtuous Wife
10j Who3 can find a 4virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
12She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
13She seeks wool and flax,
And willingly works with her hands.
14She is like the merchant ships,
She brings her food from afar.
15k She also rises while it is yet night,
And lprovides food for her household,
And a portion for her maidservants.
16She considers a field and buys it;
From 5her profits she plants a vineyard.
17She girds herself with strength,
And strengthens her arms.
18She perceives that her merchandise is good,
And her lamp does not go out by night.
19She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
And her hand holds the spindle.
20m She extends her hand to the poor,
Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
21She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
22She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23n Her husband is known in the gates,
When he sits among the elders of the land.
24She makes linen garments and sells them,
And supplies sashes for the merchants.
25Strength and honor are her clothing;
She shall rejoice in time to come.
26She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
29“Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all.”
30Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
31Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates.